Profile

I grew up in Loughborough, and moved before moving to the university of Birmingham (UoB) in 2015 to begin an undergraduate degree. I chose to study Chemistry with Study Abroad MSci, which was an integrated Masters degree.

For my study abroad year (in 2017/18), I moved to the University of Western Ontario, in Canada for a year to study there, which was incredible! After an unforgettable summer travelling around America, I moved back to England in time to begin my final year of study

During my final year, I completed a Master’s research project looking sodium and lithium-ion batteries. This project led me to take an interest in postgraduate study here at UoB, and in September 2019, I started my four year PhD, in a project investigating upcycling and recycling of lithium-ion batteries.

My top 3 hobbies would have to be cooking/baking, playing netball and socialising with friends. I love getting out and about and meeting people in all aspects of my life!

My PhD research focus is the upcycling and recycling of lithium-ion battery materials, with particular focus on the cathode material. I use a closed-loop recycling method to extract a manganese-based material from the cathode, which I can then use to make new materials which can also be used in lithium-ion batteries (upcycling).

I wake up and have breakfast, and then I walk into university (which is about 3 miles away, so takes just under an hour). I usually arrive at work at around 9:30am. At work, I spend my days in the lab making battery materials and testing them. I also analyse the materials I make using lots of different techniques, which involves the use of X-rays and electron microscopes, to name a few. I usually leave labs at around 5pm, and go to a gym class / netball practice before heading home to watch some TV and have some dinner!